Apparatus for making sanitary napkins



Nov. 29, 1938. o. T. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR MAKING SANITARY NAPKINS Filed May 5, 1937 Am MN mmvN v////MM////////// Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MAKING SANITARY NAP KINS

Application May 3, 1937, Serial No. 140,278

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for making an improved sanitary napkin.

The main object of the invention is to provide mechanism of simple, durable and reliable character for making an improved sanitary napkin, the improvement particularly conmmplating the production of sanitary napkins with absorbent pads having marginal side portions compressed so as to more or less round the side edges to reduce bulkiness adjacent the side edges; .and to provide mechanism for producing sanitary napkins embodying the improved construction.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pad side margin compressing device of simple construction but which is efiicient in operation; to provide such compressing means which will not show up the operation of the apparatus; to provide such means which may be readily added to sanitary napkin making machines already in use; and in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved sanitary napkin making mechanism of the character indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein there is illustrated a sanitary napkin embodying the construction herein contemplated and also mechanism for producing the same.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan showing a portion of a sanitary napkin making machine, the portion being that part which compresses the marginal side portions of the absorbent pad elements and folds a gauze strip around the pads.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Figs, 3 and 4 are sections, respectively, on lines 3--3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3, but showing relationship of the parts of the mechanism to the parts of the sanitary napkin and the effect of the mechanism on the absorbent pad element, and

Fig. 6 is a cross section through a sanitary napkin embodying the improved construction.

The mechanism illustrated in Figs, 1 and 2 is similar to the pad-wrapping mechanism shown in the patent to Fourness No. 2,052,529, issued August 25, 1936. It comprises a table or support I0 over which travels a conveyor belt II.

The conveyor belt II extends around a guide roller I2 journaled in any suitable manner but not herein illustrated. The belt I I is a continuous belt which also extends around another guiding roll as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

A strip of gauze designated I3 is fed over the roller I2 and the conveyor belt II and is thereby conveyed along the table I0, By suitable means such as shown in said Fourness patent, pad units designated M are deposited on the gauze strip in regularly spaced relation lengthwise of the gauze strip.

During the forward movement of the gauze strip and pads, the side marginal portions of the gauze strip which extend beyond the side edges of the pad units I4 are acted upon by folding devices I5 and I6 which fold said marginal gauze portions upwardly and inwardly over the absorbent pad units. Pad edge covering strips such as indicated at I! which are preliminarily deposited upon the gauze in proper position relative to the pads are also folded around the side edges of the absorbent pad units as an incident to the folding of the gauze. I

To reduce the thickness of the absorbent pad, and also of the finished sanitary napkin, the marginal side portions of the pads may be compressed. Such compressing may be effected by means of an elongated presser plate I8, preferably made of metal and supported at one end on a rod I9 which is carried by a bracket 20 fastened to the table II] 50 as to clear the gauze strip I3. As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rod I9 is vertically adjustable in the bracket 2|], the rod being clamped in the desired position by means of suitable clamping nuts as indicated. The pressing plate I8 has a reduced end portion 2| bent around the rod I9 so that the pressing plate is, in effect, pivotally supported by the rod I9. Cotter pins or the like indicated at 22 may be employed for holding the presser plate I8 against sidewise shifting on the rod I9. As clearly indicated, the pivotally supported or receiving end of the presser plate I8 is ofiset upwardly so as to provide a flared mouth into which the pad elements will enter. The marginal side portions 23, 23 of the presser plate are ofiset downwardly as best shown in Fig. 3, so that the underlying marginal portions of the absorbent pads will be correspondingly compressed (see Fig. 5). By reason of the flared mouth construction of the presser plate, the compression of the marginal portions of the pads will be effected more or less gradually as the pad advances under the pressing plate and into the zone of operation of the gauze folding devices I5 and I6.

The delivery end of the pressing plate I8 has one side tapered as indicated at 24 so as to be is adjustably mounted in a bracket 21 carried The other end of the spring' by the table it]. member 25 is secured to the delivery end of the presser plate by welding or otherwise as preferred. It will be apparent that the spring mem-' ber 25 will yieldingly and resiliently support the free end of the presser plate. For'facilitating variation of the pressure of the pressing plate on the pad element passing thereunder, the presser plate may be provided with an upstanding post designated 28 for receiving one or more weights 29 which may be readily slipped on or oil the post 28. By varying the number of the weights 29, the pressing efiect of the presser plate on the absorbent pads maybe varied to meet varying requirements and possibly to compensate for'variations in the character of the pad materiah, g Y 7 By pressing the pads as indicated, the thickness of .the pad edges is reduced relative to the thickness of the pads intermediate said edges. The effector the pressing isillustrated in Fig. 6, where the pad edges designated 39, 30are shown as being of less thickness than the intermediate portions of the pad.. The gauze ,wrapper l3 around the pad may thus be somewhat narrower than thegauze wrapper required where the pads are of uniformthickness over their entire width. Similarly, the width of the pad edge elements 11, I! may bereduced somewhat fromv the width required where the pad thickness is uniform from edge to edge. In addition tothe indicated reduction in bulk with consequent comfort-giving effects, there is an importantsaving effected in the cost of material incident to the reduced width requirements; of thelatter as explained.

The slight compressing effect is also desirable in that when the padais made of a multiplicity of superposed plies of creped tissue paper as herein contemplated, there isa definitetendency for the plies to be more eifectively united'along said compressed edges to -thereby avoid splitting of the absorbent pad unit. The extent of compression is, however, such that it does not produce a material hardening effect which would be seriously objectionable. The efiect of thecompressing operation appears to be that of eliminating bulkiness with consequent comfort advantages and without noticeably hardening any por tion of the, pad or reducing its absorbent capacity. Owing to the normal tendency of the compressed material to expand to normal incompressed condition, there is a tendency for the gauze wrapped around the pad to be automatically drawn taut. Such tendency results in a smoothly wrapped napkin and thegauze serves, of course,- to prevent expansion of the compacted marginal portions beyond certain limits. .In other words, the gauze has the effect of maintaining the marginal portions compressed. I a

The described pad pressing arrangement may be; added to apparatus such as shownin the aforesaid Fourness patent, and it will be apparent that the pressing apparatus does not slow up or otherwise impair theoperation of themachine.

1. In a machine for making sanitary napkins,

means for conveying a strip of gauze having an absorbent pad positioned thereon, the pad being narrower than said gauze strip and being posi- 'tioned in spaced relation to the side edges of said strip, means for folding the marginal portions of said strip upwardly and over the pad and means associated-with said gauze folding means for acting on' said pad while being conveyed by said gauze strip to compress marginal side portions of thepad so as to reduce the thickness thereof at its side edges, whereby said side edges require less gauze or other covering material and permit adequate wrapping of .the padand covering of its edges .with covering material of reduced width.

2. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, means for'conveyinga strip of gauze having an absorbent pad positioned thereon, -the-pad being narrower thansaid gauze strip andbeing positioned in spaced relation to the side edges of said strip, means for folding the marginal portions of said strip upwardly and over the pad.

gated presser plate having marginal-portions off:

set downwardly, said plate overlyingthe-path of travel cf the padsand said ofiset plate per-1v tionsbeing adapted to compress marginal; side portions of thepads as ,an incident to themcvement of the latter under said presser plate.

5. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, means for propelling absorbent pads, an-elongated presser plate having marginal portions ,oifgset downwardly, said plateoverlyingthe path of. travel of the pads and said oifsetqplate portions being adapted to compress marginal side portions of the pads asan incident tov the movement of the latter under said presser plate, said presser plate being pivotally supported adjacent one end and havingresilient supportingmeans adjacent its other end. t t

a 6. In a machine for. makingsanit'ary napkins, means for propelling absorbent pads, an elongated presser plate having marginal portions off:

set downwardlypsaid plate overlying the path of travel of the pads and said oifset' plate portions being adapted to compress marginal side portions of the pads as an'incident'tothe move ment o'fthe latter under said presserplate, means for adjustablysupporting said presser plate ad-" jacent one end, and variable pressure means act: ing onz-theother end of the plate for controlling the pressing effect'of the. plate on the pads.

7. In a machine for making. sanitary napkins, means for, propellingv absorbent pads, anpelon: gated presser plate having marginal portions off-I set downwardly, and means for positioning said presser plate in longitudinally overlying relation to the path of travel of the pads, said plate being shaped to provide a flaring mouth portion to facilitate the entrance of pads into their path of travel under said plate, said offset plate portions serving to compress marginal side portions of the pads as an incident to their travel under said presser plate.

8. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, means for propelling absorbent pads, an elongated presser plate having marginal portions oilset downwardly, said plate overlying the path of travel of the pads, and means for pivotally supporting said presser plate adjacent the padreceiving end thereof, the receiving end portion of said plate being shaped longitudinally to provide a flaring mouth portion to facilitate the entrance of pads into their path of travel under said plate, said offset marginal plate portions serving to compress marginal side portions of the pads as an incident to their travel under 10 said presser plate.

OSCAR T. THOMPSON 

